Spiders I could care less about - but these????????????? It's bigger than me - I went
weak in the legs - started hyperventilating - they have to be the ugliest thing I have ever
seen - and it gets better.....................
From Wikipedia
Early description
In 1902, C.L. Marlatt, an entomologist with the United States Department of Agriculturewrote a brief description of the house centipede:
It may often be seen darting across floors with very great speed, occasionally stopping suddenly and remaining absolutely motionless, presently to resume its rapid movements, often darting directly at inmates of the house, particularly women, evidently with a desire to conceal itself beneath their dresses, and thus creating much consternation.
LMAO - particularly at women? if one comes darting at me - and tries to hide in my clothes, they'll be
burying me tomorrow. And it gets better..............
Behavior and ecology
House centipedes feed on spiders, bedbugs, termites, cockroaches, silverfish, ants, and other household arthropods. They administer venom through modified legs. These are not part of their mandibles, so strictly speaking they sting rather than bite. They are mostly nocturnal hunters. Despite their developed eyes they seem to rely mostly on their antennae when hunting. Their antennae are sensitive to both smells and tactile information. They use both their mandibles and their legs for holding prey. This way they can deal with several small insects at the same time. To capture prey they either jump onto it or use their legs in a technique described as "lassoing". Using their legs to beat prey has also been described.[5] In a feeding study, S. coleoptrata showed the ability to distinguish between possible prey. They avoid dangerous insects. They also adapted their feeding pattern to the hazard the prey might pose to them. For wasps, they retreat after applying the venom to give it time to take effect.[5] When the centipede is in danger of becoming prey itself, it can detach any legs that have become trapped.
If I have centipedes - and they eat spiders, bedbugs, termites, cockroaches, silverfish and ants - does that mean
I have those other creatures living here as well? OH. MY. GOD.
And apparently they lay eggs in the spring - so I may be swarming with them within the next few weeks.
3/4's of our basement is a crawl space - with earth - I do not go down there, ever, even the section that has been
built up to make a laundry room - John does the laundry since moving here ( which was a condition on buying this place - that I would never have to step foot down there ) but now the unspeakables are coming up here - and joining me on the level meant only for humans and one small dog.
AGHHHHHHHH -
In the words of Rosana Ana Dana -
IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING
